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Hearing on ‘Give to Enable’ proposal seeks funds to help Nebraskans open ABLE accounts
Summary
Treasurer’s office and disability advocates backed LB 391 to create a fund that helps low‑income Nebraskans open Enable (ABLE) savings accounts and leverage a crowd‑funding platform; proponents asked for drafting tweaks to align fund language with program goals and to limit investment of those funds.
Senator Dave Murman introduced Legislative Bill 391 to create a fund to help Nebraskans with disabilities start Enable (ABLE) savings accounts and to expand the state’s Give‑to‑Enable crowdfunding platform. "The Enable program has been life changing for many Nebraskans with disabilities," Senator Murman said in opening remarks, noting the program has helped thousands of accounts since Nebraska launched its plan.
Stacy Pfeifer, director of the Enable savings plan at the Nebraska Treasurer’s Office, said the plan currently administers roughly 4,393 accounts and approximately $49 million in assets under management and that a portion of potential account owners lack the means to open accounts on their own. "There are individuals who are living in such poverty that they don't even have the means to start an ABLE account and to save for disability related expenses," Pfeifer said; LB 391 would create a state fund to provide startup assistance for such individuals and to support Give‑to‑Enable crowdfunding.
Pfeifer asked the committee for a few drafting changes: replace the term "trust fund" with "cash fund" to reflect that the purpose is to provide readily available assistance; change the bill label so it does not use the term "scholarship" (which could be misleading); and remove a paragraph that would direct investment of the fund, so the money remains available to assist account openings.
Advocates testified in favor. Edison McDonald, executive director of The Arc of Nebraska, said the proposal builds on the federal ABLE program to expand access to assistive equipment, transportation and specialized services without jeopardizing means‑tested benefits such as Medicaid or SSI. "The Give to Enable Scholarship Fund will encourage private donations to further empower individuals with disabilities and their families by covering costs that can make independence more attainable," McDonald said.
Committee members asked technical questions about the bill’s fiscal note and statewide participation. Pfeifer clarified that some Enable accounts are held by non‑Nebraska residents (the plan is open nationwide) and that contributions made on the Give‑to‑Enable platform are routed directly into an individual’s ABLE account rather than into a central state spending pool. She also asked the committee to remove language that could allow investment strategies to hold down liquid funds intended for immediate account starts.
Why it matters: ABLE accounts let qualifying people with disabilities save without losing eligibility for Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income. LB 391 would direct state resources to help those with the greatest financial need open accounts and to encourage private donations through a state‑backed crowdfunding portal. Small drafting changes requested by the Treasurer’s Office are designed to ensure funds are immediately available to start accounts rather than being invested for growth.
Provenance: Testimony and discussion appear in the committee transcript at Senator Murman’s introduction (transcript around 9172.56) and the subsequent testimony by Stacy Pfeifer and disability advocates (transcript segments beginning ~9395.92 and continuing until the hearing closed on LB 391).
